Tate & Lyle Public Limited Company

Tate & Lyle, Inc.

Philip J Simpson

George H Sankey

Graham Jackson

Riaz A Khan

Nigel J Homer

Nicholas M Vernon

A process for the chlorination of sucrose or a derivative thereof, comprises reaction of the sucrose or derivative thereof with thionyl chloride and a nitrogen base at a ratio of about 1 molar equivalent (ME) of thionyl chloride and about 1 ME of base for every ME of free hydroxyl, in a non-reactive moderately polar solvent. The process is particularly suitable for the preparation of sucralose.

Chlorination of sugars

Sugars and partly protected sugar derivatives are chlorinated by reaction of unprotected hydroxyl groups with thionyl chloride to form a persulphite followed by decomposition of the sulphite groups to form chlorosulphites, displacement of the chlorosulphite groups and insertion of chlorine atoms at one or more positions, characterised in that formation and displacement of the chlorosulphite groups and insertion of chlorine atoms is effected by reaction with thionyl chloride in an inert solvent in the presence of a quaternary salt of the general formula:

Process for the chlorination of sugars

Sucrose 6-acylates, key intermediates in the preparation of sucralose, can be prepared by subjecting a sucrose alkyl 4,6-orthoacylate to mild aqueous acidic hydrolysis to provide a mixture of sucrose 4- and 6-acylates and then treating the mixture with a base to convert the 4- acylate to the 6-acylate. The novel sucrose alkyl 4,6-orthoacylates are prepared by reacting sucrose in solution or suspension in an inert organic solvent with a trialkyl orthoacrylate in the presence of an acid catalyst.

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Tadley, United Kingdom

Philip J Simpson